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Straightening your teeth without metal brackets, without office visits every few weeks, and without anyone noticing you’re in treatment — Invisalign makes all of that possible. The system uses a series of custom-made, clear, removable aligners to gradually shift your teeth into alignment, and because they’re made to fit your mouth precisely, they’re comfortable enough to wear all day. For patients who want results without the visibility of braces, Invisalign is the most popular orthodontic option available for a reason.
At Floss & Co., Dr. Martha Silva and Dr. Catherine Murphy provide Invisalign as part of our orthodontics services in Chicago. What sets our approach apart is that we pair every Invisalign consultation with an airway assessment — evaluating how your bite and jaw position affect your breathing, not just how your teeth look. We’ve been treating patients in Chicago’s southwest communities since 1982, and we take the time to build a treatment plan that fits your life, your goals, and your budget before you commit to anything.
What is Invisalign and How Does It Work?
Invisalign works by moving your teeth through a series of custom-made, removable clear aligners, each worn for about one to two weeks before swapping to the next set. Every tray nudges your teeth a little closer to their final position until the whole sequence is complete. At Floss & Co., our team starts the process with a digital scan of your smile, which is used to build a full 3D treatment plan — so you and your doctor can see exactly where things are headed before treatment even begins.
The aligners themselves are made from SmartTrack, a proprietary multi-layer polyurethane developed exclusively for Invisalign. Its controlled elasticity applies steady, gentle pressure while hugging the gumline more closely than older aligner plastics, resulting in better tooth-to-tray contact and more accurate movement with each new set. The softer material also means fewer sharp edges and better everyday comfort. A 2024 systematic review published in PubMed Central confirmed that since the introduction of SmartForce and SmartTrack, the clinical efficacy of Invisalign treatment has measurably improved — which is good news for anyone starting treatment today.
Invisalign can treat a wide range of alignment concerns, including crowding, spacing and gaps, overbites, underbites, crossbites, and open bites. It works for most mild to moderate cases in both adults and teens. For more complex bite corrections or cases requiring significant tooth rotation, we’ll discuss whether Invisalign alone or a hybrid approach makes the most sense for your situation.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Invisalign Clear Aligners?
Invisalign is highly effective for most mild to moderate orthodontic cases, but it isn’t the right fit for everyone. Patients with severe bite issues, significant bone loss, or active gum disease typically need those conditions addressed first — or may need a different approach altogether. Here’s what makes someone a strong candidate:
- Previously wore braces and teeth have shifted out of place again
- Able to commit to wearing aligners for at least 22 hours each day
- Good oral hygiene habits and no active tooth decay, cavities, or gum disease
- Wants a less visible alternative to metal braces
- Has mild to moderate crowding, spacing, or bite issues
- Responsible enough to keep track of removable trays (particularly relevant for teens)
- Prefers fewer in-office adjustment visits than traditional braces require
Your candidacy can only be confirmed by one of our doctors during a consultation, where we’ll assess your bite, spacing, and airway before making a recommendation. If Invisalign isn’t the right fit, we’ll tell you why and discuss what is. Clear aligners aren’t one-size-fits-all, and we’d rather give you the honest picture than sell you on treatment that won’t deliver the result you want.
Invisalign and Airway Health: What Most Providers Miss
Orthodontic treatment and airway health are more connected than most people realize. When teeth are crowded or misaligned, the jaw can sit in a position that narrows the airway — affecting breathing during sleep, contributing to snoring, and in some cases worsening sleep apnea symptoms. Straightening the teeth and improving how the upper and lower jaws relate to each other can expand the dental arch and open that airway space.
At Floss & Co., we include a comprehensive airway assessment as part of every Invisalign consultation. Dr. Silva and Dr. Catherine Murphy evaluate how your bite and jaw position affect airflow — not just cosmetics — and factor that into the treatment plan. For patients who have been told their snoring or sleep issues may be structural, this is an important step that most orthodontic providers skip entirely. Learn more about our airway expansion services and how orthodontics can play a role.
How Much Does Invisalign Cost in Chicago?
One of the first questions most people ask is what Invisalign actually costs, and the honest answer is that it depends on your specific case. There’s no single price tag because no two smiles are the same. At Floss & Co., Dr. Martha Silva and Dr. Catherine Murphy take a thorough look at your alignment needs during your consultation and walk you through a clear, personalized cost breakdown before you decide on anything.
Cost Factors (Complexity, Duration, and Case Type)
The biggest variables driving your overall cost are the complexity of your case, how many aligner sets you’ll need, and how long treatment takes. A straightforward spacing issue might only require ten to fifteen trays and wrap up in a matter of months, while a more involved bite correction could mean forty or more trays over one to two years. Some cases also call for attachments, which are tiny tooth-colored anchors bonded to specific teeth to help the aligners get a better grip on trickier movements. The more your case involves, the more it will cost, but you’ll know exactly what you’re looking at before anything gets started.
Insurance Coverage and Financing Options
Here’s some good news: many dental insurance plans include an orthodontic benefit that applies to Invisalign just as it would to traditional braces. That benefit typically ranges from $1,000 to $2,000 in lifetime coverage, which can take a meaningful chunk off your total. Our team verifies your benefits before treatment begins, so there are zero surprises at checkout. For whatever remains, we offer flexible financing through CareCredit and Lending Club, both of which offer low- or no-interest payment plans to make them manageable.
Monthly Payment Breakdown
Financing through CareCredit or Lending Club means you can break your total cost into monthly payments that fit comfortably into your budget rather than paying everything up front. The exact amount depends on your treatment fee and the financing term you choose, but many patients find it falls within a range that feels very doable. Our front desk team goes through all of this with you at your consultation, so you can pick the plan that actually makes sense for you.
See What Invisalign Could Do for Your Smile
We'll show you a preview of your results at your very first consultation — no commitment, no pressure.
SCHEDULE YOUR CONSULTATIONWhat is the Invisalign Treatment Process?
Knowing what’s coming at each step takes a lot of the mystery out of starting treatment, and it’s a smooth process once you understand the flow. At Floss & Co., we keep things clear and organized so you always know where you are and what comes next.
Step-by-Step Process Timeline
From first scan to final aligner, here’s how the Invisalign journey typically unfolds:
- Initial consultation: Dr. Silva or Dr. Murphy evaluates your bite, spacing, and airway to figure out whether Invisalign is the right fit and what your treatment plan will look like.
- Digital scan and ClinCheck planning: A 3D intraoral scan captures your smile without any goopy impressions, and the data gets used to build your ClinCheck simulation, which shows your projected tooth movements from start to finish.
- Aligner fabrication: Your custom aligner series is manufactured and typically arrives within a few weeks of your scan.
- Tray delivery and fitting: You pick up your first sets of aligners, any attachments that need to be bonded are placed at this visit, and you get a full walkthrough of how to wear and care for your trays.
- Progress check appointments: Every six to eight weeks, you’ll come in so the doctors can confirm everything is tracking as planned and hand off your next batch of aligners.
- Refinements (if needed): After finishing your initial series, some patients do a short refinement phase with a few extra trays to dial in the final result.
- Retention: Once treatment wraps up, a retainer is made to keep your teeth in place and make sure all that work actually sticks.
Most mild-to-moderate cases take between twelve and eighteen months, though your timeline will depend on your specific situation.
Wear Time Requirements
This is the part that’s almost entirely up to you, and it matters more than most people realize. Invisalign aligners need to be worn for at least 20-22 hours a day, every day, for treatment to progress on schedule. It sounds strict, but most patients adjust to the routine quickly.
The patients who run into setbacks are usually those who slip into the habit of leaving their trays out a little longer than planned, which can throw off tooth tracking and lead to extra refinement rounds. A simple trick: keep your case with you everywhere, because if taking the aligners out means putting them right back in the case, you’re much more likely to put them back in your mouth promptly.
Invisalign vs. Braces: Which is Right for You?
This is one of the most common questions we hear, and the answer isn’t the same for everyone. Both options work, both have real advantages, and the best choice comes down to your case, your lifestyle, and what matters most to you. Our team never pushes you toward one or the other; we just want you to have the full picture so you can make a confident decision.
Comparison: Cost, Time, and Visibility
Visibility is usually where people start, and Invisalign wins that category pretty decisively. The aligners are nearly undetectable, while traditional braces involve brackets and wires that are visible throughout treatment. On timing, Invisalign typically resolves mild to moderate cases in twelve to eighteen months, while braces often run eighteen to thirty-six months, depending on complexity.
Cost-wise, both options fall within a similar range for moderate cases. However, braces can sometimes be the more economical option for highly complex corrections that push beyond what aligners handle best. Invisalign also eliminates dietary restrictions because the trays are removed before meals, unlike braces, which require avoiding hard or sticky foods to protect the hardware. And because aligners are removable, brushing and flossing stay completely normal throughout treatment.
Airway-Focused Orthodontics Connection
Here’s something that genuinely sets Floss & Co. apart from most Invisalign providers: every orthodontic consultation we do includes an airway expansion assessment. Straightening teeth is the goal, but it doesn’t always tell the whole story. Narrow arches, constricted palates, and certain bite patterns can contribute to restricted airflow, poor sleep quality, and low energy that patients often don’t connect to their teeth at all. Dr. Silva and Dr. Catherine Murphy factor all of this into their evaluation, so if there’s an opportunity to improve your breathing and your smile at the same time, we’ll find it.
Invisalign for Teens vs. Adults
Invisalign works well for both teens and adults, and the treatment itself is largely the same across age groups, with a few practical differences. Teens in our teen orthodontics program receive aligners with compliance indicators, small blue dots that fade with wear, which gives parents an easy, low-drama way to check in on daily usage.
Adults pursuing orthodontics tend to gravitate toward Invisalign because it fits seamlessly into a professional life where showing up to a meeting with a mouthful of brackets just isn’t ideal. Both groups get the same level of precision and the same quality results when they stick to the program. And once treatment is done, plenty of our patients celebrate their new smile with teeth whitening to really make it pop.
How Should You Prepare for Your Invisalign Consultation?
When you attend your orthodontic consultation, please come prepared to discuss your medical history and other relevant details. As part of our patient information, we recommend bringing notes related to your medical records, including current medications, allergies, existing conditions, past surgeries, and lifestyle factors that may affect your candidacy for treatment.
Depending on the circumstances, you’re welcome to communicate with a referring dentist about sending us copies of your dental X-rays, scans, and other records. Otherwise, it may be necessary for us to take these images during your consultation.
We also encourage you to come prepared with any questions you may have about your care. If you have any questions at the end of your consultation that we have not adequately covered, please feel free to request clarification from your provider. If you need any other information to prepare for your consultation, we encourage you to contact our team at Floss & Co.
How Should You Take Care of Your Clear Aligner Trays?
Some patients like to purchase and collect care tools and materials before their clear aligners arrive. Therefore, we can help you understand how to care for your Invisalign or other clear aligner trays. We encourage you to use the following tips:
- Rinse your aligners with cool or lukewarm water every time you take them out and before you put them back in
- Only brush your aligners with a soft-bristled toothbrush to prevent scratching or other abrasion
- Every few days, you should use a cleaner recommended for Invisalign
- Remove your Invisalign whenever you eat or drink something other than water
- Keep your clear aligners in their travel case whenever they’re not in use
- Switch to a non-abrasive toothpaste, and avoid ingredients like baking soda that can damage your aligners
- Floss your teeth at least once a day to limit the amount of bacteria in your trays or teeth
- Brush your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes with a gentle circular motion
We can also recommend specific tools to consider during orthodontic treatment. For example, we can suggest our favorite non-abrasive toothpaste, alcohol-free mouthwashes, and soft-bristle electric toothbrushes. Please get in touch with us to learn more.
Invisalign Clear Aligners for Your Community
Discreet Smile Correction for Garfield Ridge, Midway Airport, Bridgeview & Burbank
Straighten your teeth discreetly with Invisalign clear aligners designed for the active lifestyles of Chicago’s southwest communities. Our Archer Avenue Invisalign practice understands the unique needs of each neighborhood we serve.
Neighborhood-Specific Invisalign Benefits:
- Garfield Ridge – Affordable Invisalign treatment plans for working families who want straight teeth without obvious braces
- Midway Airport Area – Discreet smile correction perfect for professionals who need to maintain a polished appearance
- Bridgeview – Convenient Invisalign treatment that fits busy family schedules with removable aligners for special events
- Burbank – Comfortable clear aligner therapy with easy maintenance visits and professional monitoring nearby
Why Local Invisalign Treatment Works: Understanding community lifestyles means flexible appointment scheduling, treatment plans that work with your budget, and results that enhance your confidence at work and social gatherings.
Complete Invisalign Services: Traditional Invisalign, Invisalign Teen, express treatments, and ongoing monitoring – all tailored to your lifestyle and goals.
Why Choose Floss & Co. for Invisalign in Chicago?
At Floss & Co., Dr. Silva and Dr. Catherine Murphy bring a thorough, unhurried approach to every Invisalign consultation. We take the time to understand your alignment goals, assess your airway, walk you through your treatment timeline, and give you a clear cost breakdown before you make any decisions. We’ve been caring for patients in Chicago’s southwest communities since 1982, and we accept all dental insurances. Flexible financing is available through CareCredit and Lending Club for patients who want to spread the cost over time.
If you’re ready to find out whether Invisalign is right for you, contact our office to schedule your consultation. We’ll show you what your results could look like before treatment begins — no commitment required.
Invisalign FAQs
How long will I need to wear my Invisalign aligners each day?
To achieve the best results, Invisalign aligners should be worn for 20 to 22 hours each day. They should only be removed for eating, drinking, and cleaning your teeth. Consistency is key to ensuring your treatment progresses on schedule.
How often will I need to visit the office during Invisalign treatment?
You will typically need to visit your dentist or orthodontist every 6 to 8 weeks during Invisalign treatment. These visits allow your dentist to monitor your progress, ensure the aligners fit properly, and provide you with new aligners as your teeth shift.
Will Invisalign affect my speech?
Some patients may experience a slight lisp when they first start wearing Invisalign aligners. However, this usually improves as you adjust to the aligners and get used to speaking with them in place.
How do I clean my Invisalign aligners?
To clean your Invisalign aligners, rinse them with lukewarm water and brush them gently with a soft toothbrush. You can also use Invisalign cleaning crystals or a mild soap solution to keep your aligners free from bacteria and stains.
How long does Invisalign treatment typically take compared to traditional braces?
Invisalign treatment typically takes between 12 to 18 months, which is often shorter than the 2 to 3 years required for traditional braces. The exact duration will depend on the complexity of your case and your level of commitment to wearing the aligners as instructed.
Meet Dr. Izzy Naem
Dr. Naem is a dedicated general and cosmetic dentist specializing in advanced dental technologies with personalized patient care. With his expertise in airway expansion and comprehensive dentistry, Dr. Naem ensures every aspect of your dental experience meets the highest standards of excellence. Specializing in cosmetic dentistry, airway expansion, and innovative treatments, Dr. Naem uses cutting-edge technology to help patients enjoy optimal health while maintaining the highest standards. His practice philosophy emphasizes building meaningful relationships with patients, taking time to understand their unique needs, and creating treatment plans that are both functional and aesthetically exceeding expectations.
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Located in the heart of Chicago, Floss & Co. combines state-of-the-art technology with warm, patient-centered care. Dr. Naem and his team provide comprehensive dental services, from preventive care to advanced cosmetic and implant dentistry, all designed to keep your smile healthy and confident.
We accept ALL dental insurance plans and offer flexible payment options to make quality dental care accessible to every patient.
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The information provided on this page is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used as a substitute for professional dental care, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your dentist or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a dental condition or treatment. Please don't hesitate to contact our office directly if you have any questions about our services, treatments, or policies.
- Medically Reviewed by Dr. Izzy Naem